RUGBY SUFFERS LOSS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28128, 17 November 1956, Page 5

RUGBY SUFFERS LOSS

■RUGBY players and administrator TV throughout Canterbury and especially those who have been connected with country football and senior representative football, will have learned with deep regret of the death of Mr C. W. (“Charlie”) McKeegan this week. Mr McKeegan was one of the greatest stalwarts of the game in New Zealand and in his passing Canterbury has lost a valued administrator who had devoted a lifetime of service to the game he loved. As a player, Mr McKeegan never achieved greatness, but as an administrator who was never afraid to voice an honest criticism, and as the champion of the country sub-unions and players, he won the respect and the admiration of all with whom he was associated.

In Canterbury, he will be best remembered as the .nan who described the Canterbury team of a few years back, as the “tram line” team because of the omission of countrv players whom he thought were worthy of inclusion. He will also be remembered by the 1956 Springboks as the genial “Uncle Charlie (Pipe) McKeegan” who worked from daylight to well into the night to ensure that their stay in Christchurch was enjoyed to the full. He was liaison officer between the Canterbury Rugby Union and the Springboks. One week after the

Springboks left Canterbury he became ill.

The very high esteem in which Mr McKeegan was held was reflected in the large attendance at his funeral on Wednesday. Many sports organisations, from town and country, were represented as well as members of the Canterbury senior representative Rugby team.